Aria A Cappella
by Ms. Selly
Summary: JayneRiver Jayne and River are sent to stay with an old teacher of Inara's to keep them out of the way.
1. Chapter 1

Aria A Cappella

Part 1

Disclaimer: I wish I could lay claim to this. I would like to tell you that I am genius in human form (aka Joss). But I am not. I am merely a lowly drudge playing with the little characters.

_Jayne is a girl's name._

She hadn't meant to make him angry. That was never her intent. It always seemed to work out that way though. She wanted him to know that she understood. He was different than Simon. Not like her smart, but simple brother. It would have shocked everyone how simple Simon really was. He was easy to figure out, he said what he meant, and he was almost always confused, because he didn't watch closely enough, didn't study hard enough. Jayne wasn't like that. He was complicated, conflicted man, just like the captain. He shared other things with the captain too. She wanted to tell him how she wondered about it. If his name belonged to a girl, did that lessen his masculinity? Was the captain bad, because his name said it was so? And herself too. River. Was she a body of water, flowing through space? She wondered about that a lot. If she wasn't just fluid, taking the shape of a girl, stealing the form of a sister, friend, daughter. She wanted him to know all those things. But lately, her mouth didn't work right. It said so little, when she thought so much. So everyone was confused, no one understood. Not even poor, simple Simon.

_Simple Simon met a pieman._ She intoned silently. River smiled. The rhymes of Earth That Was always amused her. She memorized a whole book of them when she was very young. Sometimes, she wished her life was like those poems. Sweet, and easy, rhyming with a steady beat. Her own life was so violent and mismatched, not like the little poems that always taught you a lovely moral, or an interesting lesson. Her mother wouldn't let her sing them though.

"A proper young lady does not call undue attention to herself. You are showing off, River," she mimicked Mrs. Tam perfectly, as only she could. According to mother, River showed off a lot when she was a child. But she couldn't help it. Everything she did was amazing. Something that seemed routine and uninteresting to her was a work of genius to the rest of the world. River rose from Simon's bed and danced a little jig, just to spite the looming image of Mrs. Tam glaring in her subconscious. She had been barred from dance lessons after only a few sessions, when she began to do dances that hadn't been created yet. She had been better than all the instructors anyway.

By now, she was tired of the inside of her head. It was a scary place lately. So she pirouetted out into the corridor and sashayed toward the dining room. She stopped just outside the door, frozen in the air, listening. Jayne was shouting about something.

"It's not a gorram joke, Jayne." Mal sounded annoyed. Apparently this discussion had been going on for quite some time. The sound of Jayne's hands slamming onto the table in frustration shook River's insides.

"C'mon, Mal! We finally get a job and you expect me to sit around and rutting baby-sit?"

"I must admit," Simon piped up, "I'm not entirely comfortable with this plan either. It's not that I don't trust you with my sister," he assured Jayne, then paused and considered this statement. "But I don't."

_Baby?_ River thought. They were talking about her after all. She thought back to the time when she was a baby. She knew that few people could think back that far, but she was, after all, a prodigy of prodigies. She had considered thinking back to before her birth, but decided that there wouldn't be much to see. When she was a baby, she already thought so much, and was perennially frustrated when she couldn't share her ideas with anyone. So she started talking. It was that simple for her. But it wasn't like that now. She felt like a normal baby, resorting to wordless wails to call attention. Mindless babble spilling from her mouth, uncontrollable. All she could do was hope Simon would understand.

Sometimes she wondered if Simon knew how smart he really was. He knew he was gifted, but River felt he was beyond that. Probably a prodigy himself. But no one noticed because his little sister was so much more than just a prodigy. He had always been able to understand her meanings which, she decided without even a touch of egotism, qualified him for genius level. But he always searched for the proper, polite thing to say, and that made her very sad. She was unable to speak her mind, and she wished he would use that wonderful power for her. But he had been taught well to uphold the Tam family name. They had tried to teach her, but she was given much more freedom than him. She was more intelligent than her parents, her teachers, anyone she had ever known could imagine. Except Simon. Maybe that meant he was her mental equal. Maybe it was just a brother thing.

"It makes perfect sense," Zoë was saying when River drifted back. "Kaylee and Wash need to keep _Serenity_ running. Mal, Simon and I will need to convince Orion that we're legit. You and River would only draw unwanted attention."

"I don't draw attention!" Jayne shouted, his wooly pink hat (another gift from his mother) slipping down over his left ear.

"Not the matter, not a problem, can't solve the math without the variable," River murmured. Everyone jumped and turned to look at her in shock. Oops. Maybe if she stood very still and pretended she didn't exist, they wouldn't see her anymore. They never talked about anything around her. Like she didn't know, wherever she was, when they were talking about her.

"River, are you all right?" Simon was on her in a second. Rats. "I thought you were sleeping, do you feel okay? Is the medicine causing a reaction? Do you feel nauseous?"

_Yes! _River's head shouted. _Because you're such a mother hen! Can't you leave me alone for a minute? People wake up by themselves sometimes!_

"Fine," her mouth whispered.

"Anyway," Mal brought all the attention back to him and 'The Plan'. Whatever it was. "Inara has a friend who has graciously agreed to host you while you're on Maat."

"Maat! A gorram central planet? It'll be crawling with rutting Alli-" Jayne stopped as the first part of Mal's statement registered. He smiled. "Inara's friend? Well that'll be-"

"She's not a Companion," Inara cut in, giving him an icy look. "She was my music teacher while I was at the Guild's Academy."

"Aw." Jayne looked disappointed. He brightened up slightly. "Well, maybe she don't got fancy training but-"

"She's almost sixty," Inara interrupted him again. This time he slumped and did not brighten again. Wash snickered behind a hand and Zoe just rolled her eyes. River, however, brightened. Music. She missed music so much. In the Academy, everything was darkness and silence. Silence, except for her own screams. None of the music from the parties at the Tam's, that she could hear drifting under her closed bedroom door when all the lights were out. And other kinds of music too. The methodical sound of Simon doing his homework. The chaotic sound of Father's friends playing darts. All blending together in a beautiful symphony. _The Tams in C_, she smiled at the thought.

"Inara, I don't mean to be rude but, is your friend trustworthy? There is quite a bit of money on River's head. Can we be absolutely certain-"

"Madame Rosseau was in favor of the Independence from the beginning, and she is very sympathetic to the perils of the Alliance's inner workings," Inara assured him. "She would never betray any of us. In addition, she gets a rather healthy pension from the Guild. So the money wouldn't even matter to her."

Simon nodded, still looking a little worried, but placated.

"Field trip!" River sang out, doing a complicated spinning jump that made Simon fall backwards a little, as though he was afraid of being hit with one of her properly pointed toes.

"I gotta spend a whole gorram week with the crazy girl?" Jayne grunted with a scowl. River ended her maneuver facing him, bending down to peer up into his face.

"Lots of fun, no blood no death no cows' brains. Music of the mind, soul, heart," she told him earnestly, wishing with all her soul that what was really in her head could come out of her mouth just one time. Jayne looked at her in disbelief for a moment, then pulled a knife out of his boot and began to sharpen it.

"Yup. This'll be the funnest trip ever."


	2. Chapter 2

Aria A Cappella

Part 2

Author's Note: Thank you all so much for your feedback! I also wanted to apologize for the long wait for this chapter…my computer blew up (both figuratively and literally) and I just got this new one. Über-spiffy, I must say. Also, my school musical rehearsals have kept me at school until around 8 every night, at which time my mummy makes me go to bed. So…sorry. I shall delay you no longer.

**Jayne carefully picked up the handgun. **He hefted it in his hands, smiling to himself, and remembering gunfights in which this small, concealable weapon had turned the tide in his favor. He shut his eyes and pictured one such scene again. Three men, all heavily armed, guns trained on him. It seemed like a hopeless fight. But they weren't watching as closely as they should have, weren't paying enough attention…because they thought he was unarmed.

He opened his eyes only as far as narrow slits and aimed at a lamp. Bam. He flung his arm to the other side. Bam. One left. He spun around fluidly toward the door and was jolted to see Simon peering into the room.

"Gorramit, doc," he grumbled, sliding the gun into an ankle holster and beginning to clean another weapon, "didn't they never teach you not to sneak up on a man with a gun at that fancy school of yours?"

"I made a promise to you, Jayne." Simon ignored him and took a step in as though he had been invited. "I believe you remember it?"

Jayne didn't respond. He surely did remember. How could he forget?

"I promised that whenever you are in the infirmary, you are safe and I will never harm you. That still holds." He took another step forward, and Jayne almost yielded and took a step back. The doctor was a significantly smaller man in both height and breadth, but right now, he was one of the scariest things Jayne had ever seen. Including himself. "But I'll tell you now…if you even consider laying a hand on River or harming her in anyway, there will be no reason to bring you to the infirmary."

Jayne stared in horrible wonder into Simon's hard, icy eyes. For one of the first times in his life, he was completely speechless. Simon blinked, and the illusion of mass disappeared. He shrunk immediately back to his proper size in Jayne's eyes.

"We understand each other, I assume?" He asked with a slightly sleepy looking smile. Jayne, the spell broken, looked quickly down with a grunt. Simon nodded. "That's good." There was a crash from outside and he quickly darted backwards and took off down the hall. "River! Don't--that's not going to fit in your bag!"

Jayne, assured it was safe, looked up and shook his head in shock. Who would've thought the soft little doctor could be so threatening? He really loved his crazy sister. Pushing the thought that he had actually been intimidated for however short of a moment by Simon Tam from his mind, Jayne went back to his weaponry.

He was interrupted a second time by a knock on his door frame.

"Can you spare a moment?" Shepherd Book asked.

"Sure, preacher," Jayne shrugged, and lifted up a particularly threatening rifle and examined it.

"Mite large for undercover work, isn't it?" Book asked politely but pointedly. Jayne just grunted at him. Not deterred, the shepherd came forward and lifted one of the smaller guns from the far end of the bed. He held it up, aiming at the ceiling. "Now, this is the kind of gun you would take for a mission of this nature. Lightweight, easily concealable, laser targeting system and silencer. Very discreet, very useful."

Jayne didn't even bother commenting on the unusual knowledge of weaponry. He did, however, snatch the gun out of Shepherd Book's hands and slipped it inside the jacket Mal was lending him. Apparently the Alliance was experimenting with a new weather system on Maat, leading to unpredictable temperature changes. It could be sunnier than summer one minute, and a blizzard the next. Not really his style, but did provide more places to hide guns.

"Now, Jayne," Book leaned back against Jayne's dresser, folding his arms and obviously getting into sermon mode. "I understand that a young man of your occupation and, ah, personality type sometimes has difficulty restraining himself from partaking in some of the temptations he is bombarded with."

"No need for pretty talk out here," Jayne said thought a mouthful of bullets he was holding until he could pull open the pouch Inara had sewn into the jacket's lining.

"Yes, well," Book laughed slightly, "old habits do die hard, don't they?" Jayne shrugged and spat his bullets into the cloth. After shifting his weight, Book rose back to a full stand. "What I'm trying to say, Jayne, is that the good lord put brains in your head. It would be in everyone's best interests if you used that to think."

He exited without another word and Jayne stared after him, puzzling out the meaning of his statement. It hit him in a few minutes.

"HEY!"

"Oh, you're still in here," Mal appeared in front of him. "Good, I need to talk to you about—"

"Would y'all give it a rest!" Jayne slammed a pair of pistols into his pocket. "I'm not plannin' on sexing the crazy girl, or nothing like that!"

"Well," Mal nodded firmly. "it does my heart good to know that. 'Course, personally, I just wanted to let you know that Madame Rosseau is providing a skiff to transport you and River to her estate. It would be poor thanks for her hospitality to crash her transport."

"Oh," if he had been any other man, Jayne would have blushed. But being Jayne Cobb, he just shut his mouth and nodded. Mal gave him one last look before exiting, laughing to himself.

"We'll touch down in about an hour," he called back over his shoulder.

**"Are you sure you're fine, River?"** Simon rubbed his sister's arm worriedly. River smiled at him; at least, it was assumed she did. To prevent any onlookers who might happen by from recognizing her, a large hat with a thick dark veil had been plopped onto her much smaller head.

"Silly. Not a power in the 'verse can stop River."

He laughed, but tears were forming in his eyes. Jayne rolled his own eyes at the display of affection, but Simon ignored him.

"I'm sorry, River, but…the last time I let you go, I didn't see you again for two years." River shuddered at that statement and Mal set a hand on each of the sibling's shoulders.

"She'll be fine. She's got the scariest bodyguard a girl could ask for. All they need worry about it getting to the house without getting stopped by any Feds."

"Don't give them any reason to pull you over," Zoë advised Jayne. He nodded, and slid into the pilot's side of the skiff and drummed his fingers on the control panel as the tearful farewell continued outside. Finally, River was guided into the other seat in the small transport.

"'Bout time," Jayne grunted, powering up the engine and lifting off. River waved excitedly out her window as the rest of the crew shrank to toy size as they flew towards the city.

Jayne leaned back in his seat and looked around. It was a nice enough rig. Similar to a miniature version of the shuttles on _Serenity_, there was room for four passengers to sit comfortably, but more could be packed in if necessary. He glanced down at the ground whizzing past below. It was all cracked, dusty desert. Wash and Zoë had debriefed him on life on Maat. It was comprised mostly of desert, due to faulty terraforming. Most life was concentrated heavily in the cities, which were artificially supplied with water and stretched much farther vertically than horizontally. The only people who didn't live in the massive cities were the very poor who clung to the outskirts and the very rich, who mainly occupied huge, hovering estates a few miles outside of the main metropolis. Madame Rosseau was one of the latter.

A sudden shadow fell across their craft. They had entered Regan, the premiere city of Maat. River gaped upwards through the glass ceiling of the cockpit at the pale aqua buildings that stretched far above them, some of which were difficult to distinguish from the sky they threatened to brush against. Even Jayne couldn't help but look around. A woman reclined on one of many long white fins that protruded from one floating building. Apartment complex, he guessed. There was a market farther down, flirting with the ground, where children flocked amongst the many stalls, hapless mothers trying unsuccessfully to herd them.

Jayne was so engrossed in the fascinating planet that it took a few moments to realize his craft was slowing down significantly.

"What the-"

"Big Brother's come home," River murmured. Jayne stared at the dark cloth that masked her, then a powerful sense of dread pulled at the pit of his stomach. Feds. The gorram Alliance had stopped their craft.

They sat there in silence for a few agonizing moments before the officer pulled up along side them. He stepped out onto a platform that had unfolded out of the side of his skiff for that express purpose and leaned down, peering through the window.

"You want to tell me why you're flying above the traffic lines? Cause I'm sure you've got a good reason." Jayne began to open his mouth, but River, of all people, interrupted him.

"I'm terribly sorry officer," she said, leaning over Jayne, in a coy but superior voice that had once belonged to her Aunt Marian. "He doesn't know any better. This is his first time on a central planet."

"Newlyweds?" the Fed asked, staring curiously at her, trying to gaze through the veil. River leaned forward even more, setting a hand on Jayne's leg to support herself. He glanced down at the small, pale hand and sighed, leaning backwards into his seat. They were dead.

"I found him while I was making a stopover on one of the border moons on my way home," she said in a conspiratorial whisper. "He was so adorably rough that I just couldn't leave him. Father will be furious." She giggled nastily, as though imagining her livid father. Jayne glanced over at the Fed without moving his head. Unbelievably, he was laughing too.

"Well, you keep your hubby in line, ma'am, and things will work out fine," he said. "I suppose I can let you two go without a fine, being newlyweds and all. But there's one condition."

"Name it," she murmured in a sensual voice that Jayne wondered where she had picked up. The officer leaned in through the window, completely ignoring Jayne.

"Let me see the lovely face of the blushing bride."

Jayne stiffened in his seat and it was all he could do not to squeeze his eyes shut. After all his close scrapes and daring escapes…he was going to die sitting helpless in a skiff with a crazy girl who was pretending to be a snotty society girl. But River, ever calm, just clucked her tongue at him.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir. I'm sure you would see the family resemblance, and I can't have you going and spreading the word about me and my honey before I get home. I want to see the look on Father's face when he finds out what a naughty girl I've been."

There were a few seconds of dreadful anticipation, but, miraculously, the Fed withdrew.

"Oh well. Carry on, citizens." He climbed back into his craft and the platform disappeared back into the side. He leaned out the window and winked at River. "I'll keep my eye out for you."

He sped away. Jayne sat dumbstruck for a few minutes before turning slowly to face the now-silent River.

"What the rutting hell was that!"

"Saved us," she said serenely.

"Don't do that again! Leave the saving to me, I can do it with guns and stuff. No more of that psychologicy _go se_, yeah?" River shrugged.

"Officers love a pretty girl."

"But you're not pretty," he grumbled under his breath. River smacked his arm, eyes blazing.

"Tell Simon," she threatened.

"Fine!" He shivered, remembering the young doctor's warning earlier that day. "You're pretty. Very pretty. The prettiest gorram girl I ever saw."

"Oh, stop."


	3. Chapter 3

Aria A Cappella

Part 3

Author's Note: Thanks so much for all the feedback! You guys make me feel loved.

Beta: I'm in the market, as it were. (Seriously. If anyone would be kind enough to want to beta my work, I'd love it.)

**Madame Rosseau reminded River.** She was very much like a dance teacher River was almost certain she remembered. An austere woman, with a tight braid of graying auburn hair. Her mouth was firmly set, and her eyes were also firm. It was obvious that this woman could hold control over an entire room without much effort. But she was also kind. River smiled dreamily to herself. Even the harshest had soft hearts. She enjoyed this comedy of opposites.

Jayne ate and River watched him, unable to look away. He was like an animal. But it was obvious that he was attempting to hold some semblance of manners in the presence of such a commanding lady. A bear with table manners. She giggled to herself. Like the circus bears she had seen in old, grainy scans while growing up. They were the most clever things. Balancing on balls, and doing ballet. She did a bear ballet once. Her instructor asked if she was feeling ill. That was before people stopped talking to River. River wasn't good at conversing. She was too smart. She scared them. And sometimes she thought faster than she could talk, and words and whole sentences would get skipped in the excitement of speech.

"Just a sound or two, string them together and the world stands still," she whispered to her salad. She smiled with their shared secret. She heard Madame Rosseau shoot a questioning look at Jayne, and she felt his obliviousness. He didn't pay good attention. Poor study. Wouldn't please Father. Mr. Tam held with no excuses for failure. His children had the finest equipment, the finest tutors, the finest genes in the entire 'verse. He saw no reason why they shouldn't be the finest children anywhere. So Simon was smart, and River was beyond brilliant. But it was not enough. Brains could not be enough. Simon was not dedicated enough. River was too easily distracted. Most of the time, things were fine. But once in a while…that biting disappointment would tear into her flesh.

"Papa requires all standards of excellence. The world spins to his whim."

This time, she felt Madame begin to speak, but the main course was being served. The plate was set in front of her. She bent over, nose almost touching and peered at it. Slowly she lifted the plate, and tilted her head to listen to the meat. Suddenly, her eyes widened, and with a shriek she hurled it against the wall.

"River!" Madame exclaimed in horror.

"Gorramit, feng le," Jayne began to swear colorfully in Chinese under his breath, forgetting his gentleman charade. River stared down at the meat.

"Never see the sky. Took it from them, took it so far."

"What the rutting hell you do that for, crazy girl!" Jayne looked very angry now, and Madame looked frightened. River slowly turned to look at them. She blinked, then straightened.

"Inappropriate measures have been taken," she said, as though explaining it to herself, "the ends do not justify the means." She felt the fear from Madame and her eyes softened. "Do not fear her," she whispered. "Sometimes the tree grows away from the woods."

**The shuttle landed and a flurry of dust blew into the air.** Jayne stepped out, and looked around. So this was the market. Madame Rosseau had insisted he go and 'explore our fine planet', so here he was. River was not allowed to go. She couldn't leave the house. There was always the chance that someone would spot her, but it was ridiculously high here, on a Core planet. She had grinned at him as he left the mansion, hanging upside down from a banister.

_'Bring me something'_

That's what she had whispered in his ear as he walked out the door. He shook his head, trying to get her face, with her big, shining eyes out of his head. He most certainly would _not_ be purchasing anything for her. He was Jayne Cobb, toughest gunslinger to ever hit the Outer Rim. He did not buy presents for the crazy sister of the rich boy doctor on his ship. Hell, especially if he didn't even like the rich boy doctor or his sister.

He passed a stand where a short, round man with a very dark tan and very little hair was selling ornately engraved chopsticks. He was claiming they were priceless heirlooms, and Jayne snorted. Even an uneducated man like him could tell they were brand new, and probably made by the man himself. What some people tried to get away with. Those too dumb or cowardly to steal properly did it some other way. He smirked to himself. What a fine truth. He'd have to write that down. It deserved to be embroidered on a pillow, or some such thing.

A haggard looking woman in an equally haggard dress bustled five children along in front of her. It was unclear whether all of them were hers biologically, but it was obvious she was the one in control. However, when the others in the group were distracted by a cart laden with parasols, one of the boys broke away and dashed down the narrow path. He ran directly into Jayne, and wrapped his arms tightly around the much larger man's leg.

"What the—gorramit, boy, leggo!" He shook his leg slightly, but the weight of the child was too much. However, the boy looked up in wonder at him.

"Is that a real gun?" He asked, feeling the hidden pistol strapped to Jayne's calf through his tan breeches.

"Sure is," Jayne said, making himself as scary as he knew how, "now why don't you get 'fore I shoot you with it."

It was more surprise than fear that made the boy immediately release him and Jayne straightened his pants leg and continued walking while the child scurried back towards his warden, who was looking around in a panic.

What had he been thinking about? Oh right. He would certainly, absolutely _not_ buy something for River. She did nothing to deserve a gift, and he was not some gorram fop trying to impress some blushing girl. He was a manly man, full of rage and ammo. He did not listen to little girls, he was not some slave to protocol, and there would be no present for River Tam today.

**"Oooh…."** River lifted the multicolored silk scarf up to the light and twirled around with it, letting it wave from her circular motion. "It's beautiful."

"Ain't nothin'," Jayne said, shrugging and rubbing his nose with embarrassment.

"Colors like the wind, ever changing, ever lovely, ever new." She stopped and hugged the scarf to her chest. Then, she turned and, without so much as a warning, leapt into Jayne's surprised arms. "Thank you."

"Told you it was nothin'," he said, shifting his weight uncomfortably. He was easily able to hold her, but it felt extremely wrong. Especially since Simon had specifically stated that there was to be no contact between River and Jayne's hands. He walked over to a hovering sofa and rather unceremoniously dumped her out of his arms onto it. She lay in the exact position she landed, feet still up in the air, scowling at him. He scowled back at her. They may have continued like that for quite a while, until he noticed that her flowered skirt was hanging quite far away from her legs, at which point he turned around.

"I'm gonna go unpack my things," he grunted in a last ditch effort to save some semblance of his dignity.

"I'll come with," River was on her feet in an instant.

"I can manage," Jayne shot back at her, starting up the stairs.

"Wanna help," River followed.

"No!" Jayne raced up the stairs towards his room, with River in hot pursuit.


	4. Chapter 4

Aria A Cappella

Part 4

Author's Notes: I am so very sorry for the immensely long wait. I just completely forgot about needed some time to think about this story. This chapter steadfastly refused to be written. It did not want to happen. I finally beat it out, and while I'm not _proud _of the work, it's what I've got. Thank you so much for your patience, and I'll get straight to work on the (hopefully longer) (and better) next chapter.

**Jayne sat at the small desk in his room.** The room was not large, but there was plenty of room. It had been decorated in varying shades of blue. There was a soft bed in one corner, a bureau against the wall, and a small desk and chair in another corner. It was very nice, catering to all needs he had, as well as being very comfortable. He scowled. Comfort made him uneasy. Better to be squatting in the dirt and heat than lounging in a soft chair with a cool breeze blowing. Comfort made a man lose his edge. And, Jayne thought, as he lifted a knife and pointed it threateningly at a painting of a lake, the edge was all that kept you from being a corpse.

"Howdy there, Jayne." Startled out of his posturing, Jayne fumbled with the knife for a few seconds before slamming it down on the desk.

"Gorramit, Mal," he turned towards the panel set into his wall, "don't startle me like that."

The captain laughed, his face and voice transmitted through said panel. He shook his head.

"Couldn't resist. You know me." Jayne rolled his eyes, but Mal ignored him. "So, how's things on lovely Maat?"

"Fine," Jayne replied evasively. He didn't think he ought to mention how they were stopped by the Feds not even an hour into their stay. They were both fine…nothing for the captain to worry about. Jayne wouldn't want to make the captain stress about things past.

"That's good." Mal obviously wasn't buying it, but he wouldn't press it.

"How's things with you folk?"

"Ah, criminal activities are at an all-time high," Mal smiled broadly, eyes twinkling. "Thanks so much for asking."

"Wasn't nothing," Jayne shrugged, picking up his knife. "How much longer you reckon we'll be here?"

"Not more'n a week, if all goes smooth." The two men exchanged a knowing look. Since when had things ever gone smooth? "Honestly though, I don't think it'll be much longer. Why? Not enjoying your vacation?" Jayne snorted.

"Gettin' a mite tired of the crazy girl's company."

"How's the little lady doing?" Jayne shrugged.

"She's crazy."

Mal grinned to himself, though Jayne didn't understand the cause of his amusement. There was some sound from off-screen, and Mal looked away from the camera. He listened, then nodded, before turning back to Jayne.

"Wash tells me we'll be entering atmo in a few, so I should be returning to my captain-ly duties."

"Have fun," Jayne said wistfully, extremely jealous that the rest of the crew was participating in possibly violent crime without him. Mal smirked back at him.

"You can count on it."

The screen flickered the black, the connection broken. Jayne sighed, and picked up the knife again. He fiddled with it for a few seconds, before setting it down. It was getting beyond dull staying in his room. However, venturing out meant dealing with River. He hadn't seen her since the day before, when she'd "helped" him unpack.

Obviously not trusting her with any weaponry, he had given her charge of his few other possessions, mostly clothing. Of course, being crazy, she had not been able to complete the very simple task. She had strewn clothing about the room, throwing a shirt into the hall and chucking a holster on top of the cabinet. She even tossed a pair of his boots out the window, to be discovered later atop a topiary by a highly confused gardener. To make matters worse, whenever he tried to correct her haphazard placements, she merely picked up the retrieved item, and placed it in an even odder position. Finally he had given up, and ordered his belongings once she had disappeared down the hallway with a knowing nod.

Now he weighed the possibilities. If he stayed in this pretty room, he might die of boredom. Or maybe shoot himself. If he left…no power of man nor God could predict what insanities he might witness. In the end, he decided that at least insanities would be interesting, so he strode out into the hall, and headed in search of entertainment.

What he found surprised him. River and Madame (as she insisted they call her) were deeply involved in a game of chess. True, River was precariously balancing on the back of a chair, and there were playing cards scattered in a small fairy circle around her. But he had never seen her concentrated so hard on anything normal for so long. She stared unblinkingly at the board, lost in thought.

"Playing a game?" Jayne grunted, stating the obvious to announce his presence. Madame turned and smiled at him. River smiled too, though she did not look away from the board.

"Not a game," she whispered, giggling a little.

"Then what is it?" Jayne asked, not sure what kind of crazy answer to expect. River's smile widened.

"It's a war," she said, sounding thrilled at the thought, "blood pouring into the ground, the very stones weep tears of crimson. The enemy forces are advancing, and there's not a chance they'll cease their march of doom. One can only hope they haven't got dinosaurs." Her laughter was jovial and good-natured, that of pleasure at a shared joke. Jayne didn't get it. From the look on Madame's face, neither did she. But neither of the sane people said a word. After some contemplation of her own, Madame gently pushed her rook forward, and leaned back with a triumphant smile.

River didn't hesitate for a second before seizing the rook with a properly positioned knight.

"Slashed it to bits," she said, almost apologetically as she removed the rook from the board. _Just like me,_ Jayne thought, rubbing his chest at the memory of a certain little psycho and a butcher knife. That had been punishment, he was now sure. She had known he would betray them on Ariel, knew that it was in his mind all along. She had tried to prevent it. River shook her head.

"Looking too deep," she muttered, as if speaking to the board itself, "reading between lines that don't exist. Look to the surface, the covering is the key."

"What the—" Jayne began, but stopped abruptly when he noticed Madame smiling slightly. He still wanted to at least pretend he had manners. He grumbled under his breath and wiped his hands on his pants, for lack of something better to do.

The two returned to their game, and played in silence. Jayne watched, trying to figure out what was happening. Chess had always been far too confusing for him to bother with it. It seemed like a sissy kind of pastime anyway. What was the point in a hobby you didn't get to shoot stuff during? But now, he felt very lost. He was surrounded by finery, something he never felt comfortable with. And he was stranded with the craziest girl in 'verse. It wasn't a great deal. His "vacation" was far more stressful than any time of work for him.

River stretched her legs out for a moment, wobbling dangerously, before tucking them back in. She tilted her head and bit her lip as she regarded the pieces. Madame still had a tiny smile on her face, as though she was humoring the younger girl. River either didn't notice, or didn't care. She blinked slowly and smiled a little. She reached out and nudged her bishop.

"Checkmate."


	5. Chapter 5

Aria A Cappella

Part 5

Author's Notes: I expected this chapter to be longer in coming since I've been pretty much unable to write because…well…my mind has been taken over by Green Day, and I've recently preferred to sit at the computer blaring my CDs and watching a slideshow of Billie Joe pictures as opposed to…writing, or something crazy like that. However, this one was much easier to write, since I've had several of the scenes planned out before I even wrote the first chapter.

Soundtrack: International Superhits (Especially 'Longview', 'Minority' & 'Warning')

**River was lost.** It wouldn't be obvious to the casual observer. Someone in the room would see her sitting next to Madame on the carved piano bench. They would hear her making her voice mimic the pale keys Madame pressed. To have a piano, a real piano, not some kind of synthesizer, was truly a mark of wealth. Someone sitting there would see her and hear her, and wonder how she could possibly be lost when she was right there. But although River could hear the sound of her own voice ringing out, could feel the smooth cool wood on the backs of her leg at the place where her skirt failed to cover her…she knew she was actually galaxies away.

She wasn't sure exactly where this strange place was, but it was not anyplace she had seen before. That was what lost meant, really. Not knowing where you are, how you got there, how to get home. She had been lost for a very long time now. Months, years, she wasn't exactly sure. Perhaps it had been a century. Some of them noticed. Simon pretended not to. He didn't want to know she was lost, he hoped that if he didn't accept it, it would cease to be true. But it wasn't working. He tried to bring her home, bring her back. But he couldn't. She couldn't find her way back. Because they took it from her. They took it.

"Try this one, River." Madame let her fingers fly along the keys, singing along with herself, to show River what to do. River obeyed, and Madame smiled broadly. "You really are quite talented, dear, don't let anyone tell you differently. I haven't had such a natural talent in all my years at the Guild."

"Showed all the little songbirds what to do," River said agreeably, but her eyes were sad. "Taught the painted china dolls, even though you couldn't be one of them."

Madame's eyes widened, and she flushed.

"River, I…what do…how could you…?" she trailed off, unable to form the proper question. River rolled her shoulders, trying to release the tension that had suddenly settled in the room, like a haze. It wouldn't have mattered if Madame found her question. She couldn't have answered it. She was sure. Her mouth would betray her, and not let her explain the string of seemingly unconnected words that would spill forth. She shook her head as Jayne entered. River glanced up at him, broken-hearted that she had hurt Madame's mind.

"Her birthday is next week," she said quietly. Madame brightened immediately, thrilled to have something else to talk about.

"Your birthday, River, really? Oh, we must have a celebration! I'll invite absolutely everyone, and-"

"How's that gonna work?" Jayne snorted. "She's on rutting wanted scans." Madame's face fell slightly, and River mentally cursed Jayne for depressing her. However, the depression didn't hold for long.

"It will be a masquerade! I hear they're all the rage on Loki." River nodded enthusiastically, then leapt to her feet and did a stunning twirling jump on her way out of the room. Madame bustled off to begin planning, but Jayne stared after River's back, watching her skirt flare around her. He followed her into the hall.

"Hey, wait up! Crazy girl!" River ended her bound abruptly, landing with enough force to shake several of the antique ceramics that were displayed along the corridor. She cocked her head to peer under her arm, looking back at him.

"Yes?"

"Why do you do that?" He couldn't stop the question from coming forward. He had been wondering about it for a while, and far be it from Jayne Cobb to not speak his mind. "Talk about yourself like you're somebody else. You're always saying 'her' and 'River'."

River stared back at him for a second, then straightened and turned around so she was facing him. She looked incalculably sad.

"That's because I'm not River." Jayne's mouth dropped.

"What're you talking about? Of course you're-"

"No! No no no," she clapped her hands over her ears and shook her head violently. "Not River. River lived here once. But she's gone now. They tore her apart. They ripped River to shreds, and Simon can't put her back. He tries, he tries so hard but he can't, because the pieces don't fit properly. No matter how Simon strives, River can't be reassembled, the vital bit is missing. They took it. They took it from her, and she can't get it back."

Jayne was awed for a moment by her outburst, then regained his bearings. "What'd they take?" She lowered her hands experimentally.

"Nothing." Her whisper was barely audible, especially in comparison to her earlier shouting. Jayne rolled his eyes.

"C'mon, girl, don't you get all-"

"Nothing!" She full-out screamed at him, sounding quite hysterical, and he winced at her piercingly shrill tone. She stormed up to him, stopping only a few inches away, and she glared up at him, pointing accusingly. "They took nothing. Nothing is gone. I am every place, every time, everyone. Nothing is lost. They stole away nothing, and she will never get it back."

She poked his chest firmly and he looked down at her in surprise. What was that all about? His mind was struggling to work it's way around everything she had just said. It sparked something in his memory, giving him a rare flash of insight.

"Does that have to do with that miggy thing the doctor was talkin' about back on Ariel?" She stared hard at him, apparently trying to puzzle something out in his face. After a few moments, a small smile appeared. She shook her head, still smiling just a bit, looking very much like a mother who, however angered by her child's mischief, could not really stay displeased with him.

"Minds work in mysterious ways. Perhaps the muscles bind some gray matter." She reached up and rested her delicate hands on his broad shoulders. She nodded. "Thank you, Mr. Cobb. I'll take it from here."

Her hands flew into the air so fast Jayne started. For a moment he thought she was going to hit him, but no. She arced her arms over her head and twisted her feet into proper ballerina position. She pirouetted on the spot, almost catching his nose in her whirling arms. He leaned back, staring incredulously at her. She spun for a few moments, then stopped. She looked up at his furrowed face, and bowed solemnly. She then turned on her heel and strode down the hall, leaving him in confusion.

"What the rutting hell was that?"


	6. Chapter 6

Aria A Cappella

Part 6

Author's Note: I was really lacking inspiration for this story. I knew where I wanted it to go, but not how to get there. Then I saw 'Serenity'. (On a personal note…I got 3 new Green Day CDs! Well, new to me. Yay!)

**Jayne scowled, tugging at his neatly pressed clothes, and called it a rutting waste of money.** River shut her eyes and whirled around, arms fully extended, and called it a galaxy of spinning stars. Madame just smiled and nodded, and called it one of the best parties she had ever thrown.

The magnificent hall of the floating mansion was filled nearly to bursting with beautiful people in beautiful costumes. The first masquerade ball on Maat seemed destined to be a success. The novelty of thing, the wealthy guests murmured to each other from behind dazzling masks, how clever! How central!

Jayne looked deeply uncomfortable in a neat black suit with a scarlet waistcoat. A simple, unadorned black mask framed his eyes, which darted back and forth with suspicion. He looked and felt like a trapped animal, dying for an escape. But instead of dashing from the room, or pulling out a trusty pistol as he would have liked to; he rooted himself to a spot on the floor. Opposite the punch bowl, he was able to observe the entire affair without actually participating in it. He scanned the room now, looking for River. It didn't take long to find her.

In the veritable sea of color and sparkle, River stood out. She wore a lovely white gown. A fitted bodice decorated with silver embroidery spread into a floating chiffon skirt. Her mask was much more elaborate than Jayne's, in order to draw attention away from her features. Like her dress, it was white, but it was decorated with what Jayne assumed to be real diamonds. Madame did not cut corners when it came to parties. Jayne grunted as his eyes landed on the girl. She had begun the night by his side, entering with him and standing next to him as he took up his post by the pillar. However, the unattached young men at the party (and even some of the attached ones) soon drifted in their general direction.

It wasn't long before one handsome youth mustered the courage to walk up to the slim girl in white standing next to the bulky man in black and request a dance. Jayne had not been in contact with her since. She whisked from partner to partner, never seeming to need a break. She twirled, and she laughed, and she sparkled in the many lights. Jayne eyed her and her latest partner grumpily. He noticed the man's hand resting just above where the smooth bodice gave way into the wide skirt. He didn't understand none of it. What made the crazy girl so attractive? She wasn't even pretty. Sure, she was cute and all…but nothing out of the ordinary.

"Ummm…" A hesitant voice and a flurry of giggles pulled him away from River, and back to his own body. His eyes focused in front of him on the girl who stood there. She was dressed all in a deep mossy green that, combined with her darkly tanned skin, gave her the look of some kind of forest spirit. Her mask was a second thought, only a few strips of green circling smoky eyes. She gave him a half-smile as he arched his eyebrows at her.

"What?" Jayne asked with all his usual decorum.

"I…I was wondering if you'd like to dance." The small semi-circle of friends that hovered a few feet behind her erupted into shrill laughter again. She blushed.

"I…err…I don't dance." He ended lamely. The girl blushed more furiously for an instant, then the flush faded. She looked up at him, pursing her painted lips playfully.

"Ever tried?"

And as he looked at her, this strange girl who was gazing at him flirtatiously, Jayne Cobb felt something he had never before felt in his life: self-consciousness. He didn't belong here. Fancy balls and expensive clothes were never meant for men like him. He had intruded on this world, and he didn't fit. It had never struck him like this before. He didn't fit in most places he went. He dealt with it, expected it. But never in his life had he felt so deeply and fundamentally out of place. A cool panic settled over him like mist. Though his body remained still, his mind was frantically searching for an escape. Anything to get away from this wrong place.

His eyes darted away from the now confused girl and landed on River. She was no longer dancing. Her partner was looking at her questioningly, but she stood, straight backed, staring. Her face was blank, she did not blink; she simply stood staring. She was staring at _him_.

Jayne felt stumbling backwards might be the right reaction at this point. However, his legs were still inconveniently leaden. So he stared back at her. He stared, and she stared. She stared, and he stared. They stared at each other, and the room stared at them.

Then River screamed.

**Jayne walked the hallways in solitude.** It was unlike him to be introspective or thoughtful. He was a man of action, not of mind. He wasn't actually thinking now, not really. His mind was mostly blank as he walked. However, it was the closest thing to introspection one could expect from Jayne Cobb.

He still wasn't exactly sure how his legs managed to come back to life and get him halfway across the room before she hit the floor. It didn't really matter, he supposed. All the mattered was that he did. River did not smash her skull against the polished dance floor, and Jayne was left holding an unconscious waif, protecting her from the force of mostly artificial gravity.

He walked past the now abandoned ballroom. Despite Madame's assertions that River was perfectly fine (just a bit too much excitement), the guests were gone in a hurry. Jayne had no inkling of it, being unfamiliar with society, but 'that strange girl at Madame Rosseau's masquerade' would become the most popular tale of the year. It would be repeated with great exuberance and a bit of extravagant detail to all those unfortunate enough to have missed it.

He continued along, striding through maze-like halls until he saw a long rectangle of light splayed across the dark floor. He frowned at it and, touching a hand to the knife stuffed in his waistband, continued toward it with suspicion. As he drew nearer, he realized it was light coming through an open door. He reached it and stopped so that his toes were just on the edge of the line of light. He placed a hand on the doorframe and peered inside.

River stood, half bent over, thin arms straining. Her gown was half unzipped, falling open slightly, exposing her back. He was sure he hadn't made any sound, but she turned her head to look at him. A sheepish smile spread across her face.

"Got stuck." It was at that moment Jayne first realized that River was beautiful. Maybe she wasn't as traditionally and physically attractive as other girls. Maybe her mind was a mess. But the way she carried herself, the untainted emotion that flashed across her face, the pure abandon with which she danced…she was beautiful. This realization was very shocking, and Jayne suddenly found himself feeling uncomfortable. He shifted a bit, started to leave. "Help."

The single word stopped him, and without making a conscious decision to, he walked into the room and stood behind her. His fingers hovered for a moment. They looked so rough and dark against her smooth snowy back. They looked like shadows marring an otherwise bright landscape. Then he grasped the back of her dress as gently as possible, so as not to tear it or smudge anything on it, and wiggled the zipper until it sank down.

"Fooled them," River murmured unexpectedly. Jayne paused at the strange proud melancholy in her voice.

"Fooled who?" She laughed shortly, but it was lacking in warmth.

"All of them. Thought she was a girl, so they flocked to her. Then they found out she was only a ghost, and they all ran away." She was talking about the ball. Jayne continued unzipping, feeling very awkward. His sudden talent for understanding her words unnerved him. Plus the fact that he was standing in this girl's room, undoing her dress…if anyone on _Serenity_ ever found out about this, he would be dead where he stood. It was not until he had finished his task that he realized how very dead he could soon be. For the zipper was down, the dress was sliding off, and it was obvious there was nothing under it to cover her soon-to-be-exposed torso.

With a grunt of embarrassment, he turned and began to exit. But she closed her hand around his wrist, effectively immobilizing him. He half turned back to her, looking only out of the corner of his eye, trying to judge if it was safe to look. It was, in fact, safe. She held the dress up with a well placed hand pressing the fabric against her body.

"Can't fool you," she whispered with a tiny smile. "Never could. He sees it all…but he loves her anyways."

The hand holding him shifted, and she raised his hand mischievously upwards, and planted a kiss on it. Her thin lips were cool, but they burned the back of his hand. Jayne snatched it away, and held the offended hand to his chest, as though she had cut it. He started to back away.

"Gorramit girl, what you do that for?" River grinned. She began to advance, and he thought she was going to fling herself at him, or something crazed like that. But no, she stopped just inside the door frame.

"Never kiss 'em on the mouth," she told him in a conspiratorial whisper before tapping the panel that slid her door shut in a moment, removing her from view.


	7. Chapter 7

Aria A Cappella

Part 7

Author's Note: This is another pretty short one, but I wanted to get it out. The story will be wrapping up shortly…probably two or three more chapters. But (there's always a but) I am also beginning work on a more adventure-oriented River-centered fic 'Children of Prometheus'. Keep your eyes peeled for the prologue.

**River watched Simon curiously.** He was puttering around the infirmary, apparently without any goal in mind.

"Simon? What are you doing?" Simon looked up in surprise, as though he hadn't realized she was there. He registered her and smiled. He crossed the infirmary and clasped her hands.

"Don't you worry, River. I'm going to make you all better." River frowned at him.

"What do you mean? I am better. I'm fine." He regarded her with mild disbelief for a few moments before laughing. He wandered away, starting to rummage through drawers.

"Sure, mei-mei, whatever you say."

River wrinkled her nose and stopped swinging her dangling legs. "What's that supposed to mean? I'm fine."

Simon pulled a vial filled with neon green liquid out of one of the drawers and smiled at it. "Aha, there you are." He glanced back at River's earnest expression and shook his head, laughing again. "Don't be so silly, River. You just think you're fine because you're insane."

"I am not insane!"

"Come on, River. You're supposed to be the genius here. Don't you remember; the craziest ones never believe that they're crazy." River frowned. That was true, she supposed, but she still felt she would have realized it if she was insane. Simon watched her for a few moments before going back to his laughing and searching. She watched him, and he finally crowed in triumph, producing a massive syringe. The needle looked to be about two feet long, but Simon just gleefully poured the contents of his vial inside.

"What is that stuff?"

"Hush, River," Simon brandished the syringe as one would a spear, and patted her shoulder with his other hand, "it will be over before you know it." And he slammed the needle into her chest. She knew without looking that the needle had passed all the way through her body and was sticking out on the other side. Simon didn't look particularly perturbed. "Whoops. Slight miscalculation."

River glanced down at her chest, and the syringe sticking out of it, before narrowing her eyes at him.

"You aren't my brother." His smile morphed instantly into a feral scowl.

"You aren't my sister," he growled, backing away from her. "You're not even a person."

"What? Simon, don't do this to me. Don't," she reached for him, but her hand dissolved into water that landed with a splash on the tile floor. She stared with perverse fascination at the remainder of her arm as it too melted away. The syringe clattered when it hit the ground, while the rest of her body dripped downward. The puddle on the floor that used to be River Tam sensed Simon drawing nearer. He looked down at his liquid sister and sighed.

"Oh good, something else for me to clean up."

The first thing River noticed upon waking was that her toes were cold. The second was that sometime during the night, she had thrown all of the covers off her bed. The third was that, at some point between the removal of the covers and waking up, she had pressed herself into a corner of her room and was currently about a quarter of the way to the ceiling. She allowed herself to slip back down, bare feet meeting cool floor. She straightened the oversized shirt of Mal's that she had claimed as her nightshirt and headed out of her bedroom.

The floor was even colder out in the hallway, but she savored the sensation as her feet slid along it. She felt the house slipping through her, entering through the soles of her feet, and permeating throughout her entire body. It splashed in her veins alongside her blood, spreading into every crack and niche. River did a little dance back and forth across the hall, letting her fingertips brush the walls, giving the house another point of entrance. She continued down the hall, swaying from side to side, letting herself become the house and the house become her.

It made her happy, being the house, even though the house itself was sad. It was not a tragic sadness; more of a melancholy that left a bitter taste in the back of what had been River's throat before she merged with the house. Perhaps it was a hallway now. But the melancholy…it was a heart soreness. Sunk into the walls by a woman who could only ever have hoped to be 'distinguished' no matter how hard she yearned to be beautiful. A distinguished woman, who was a fine companion but not attractive enough to be a Companion, her girlhood dream. A distinguished woman who spent her life instructing those who would become what she could not. A distinguished woman, no longer teaching, no longer admired…merely respected and, now, aging.

A tear slipped unnoticed from what used to be River's eyes. This was such a sad house. Filled with regrets and unfulfilled dreams. A very sad house with a very sad mistress. However, the sadness abated as formerly River entered the ballroom. This was a special room. This was where a distinguished woman could, for the few minutes a song lasted, fool them into believing she might secretly be beautiful. Formerly River opened what used to be a mouth and began to sing. It was a wordless song, but a song nonetheless, full of emotion and meaning. It was the house's song, and formerly River sang it with pride. What were once feet only brushed the waxed floor as she leapt and spun through the room. It was here the house was happiest and saddest at the same time. Here where the blinding residual emotion had overwhelmed the single girl who could feel it.

The thought made formerly River stop. Her body began to reform as her mind slipped away from the house and closer to the girl. It was so very strong here, all the emotion painted throughout the house. It was so strong it could not coexist peaceably with her own emotion. She let herself gently slip to the floor until she lay on her back on the polished stone

The house was sad, so formerly River decided to introduce it to _Serenity._ She drifted away from the sad house, away from Maat, up into the icy black. She floated through the vast void of space for a few moments, before coming upon her home, her ship, the other part of her soul. She pressed what used to be fingertips against the hull and slid inside. She darted through the walls, letting herself become every rivet and wire. She showed the house where she slept, and where she ate, and where she ceased to be. The rooms that held laughter, tears, bits and snippets of a possible life. _Serenity_ would be a good influence on the sad house, she knew. _Serenity_ was sad, too. But she was getting better.

Simon said that the name sounded funereal. River knew he was wrong. _Serenity_ wasn't death. There was no peace to be found in death. River knew…she had been dead. Only for a few moments, early in the days of the experiments, but still dead. Death did not bring serenity. The only way to find calm, tranquility, peace was through life. Living brought serenity. And living was making _Serenity_ better. There were hard days sometimes. Sometimes _Serenity_ didn't know if she could handle it. She wasn't sure she could survive. Sometimes _Serenity_ felt like she was being torn apart. But sometimes _Serenity_ felt warm, and loved, and alive. And at those times, _Serenity_ knew that someday she would have only those times, and none of the other times.

Since she had introduced the house to the ship, she decided to introduce _Serenity_'s people. First was Mal, sitting on his bunk, tapping through a news scan. The captain, who held it all together and was in direst need of _Serenity_. Next Zoë, striding across the hold, checking the cargo. First mate, second in command, Amazon warrior queen who pointed out the bad but never dwelled on it. Then Kaylee, tinkering with the engine as always. Mechanic, little piece of sunlight, filling _Serenity_ with laughter and never letting anyone know how forced it sometimes was. Shepherd Book after that, contemplating his illogical book. The moral compass, pointing the way, keeping toes behind the line while remembering days of dancing on the other side. Her beloved Simon, nervous and labeling things. Doctor, brother, dandy, too good for _Serenity_ but not belonging anywhere else. Finally Wash, doing his work on the bridge. Pilot, husband, eternal jester who was more attuned to tragedy than he would like you to know.

She looked over Wash's shoulder at the control panel. It was currently occupied by a number of figurines, and from the sound of it, an epic battle was taking place. A giggle escaped what was once a mouth and Wash snapped around, ready to defend himself against any laughter or stares. His eyes widened.

"River?"

A voice above her slammed her back into her body. She winced from the impact, body and essence aching. She opened her eyes, squinting in the sudden light. Jayne was kneeling next to her and he sighed when she made eye contact with him.

"Don't you do that again, girl. Madame near died she saw you lying there like that." River sat up slowly, not breaking eye contact.

"You die too, Jayne?" He looked away, grumbling.

"'Course not." He was scared. Scared for her and of her. It was the latter she found most interesting. Not that it was rare…a majority of the people she knew had been scared of her at some point. The rest of her Serenity familyBut the way he handled it. He didn't hide from her, didn't skulk away. He faced her like the man he was, despite his fear. He was ashamed, she felt. Ashamed that a tough gunslinger like himself would be frightened of a girl who couldn't weigh more than one hundred pounds, soaking wet. She caught him enjoying the thought of her soaking wet and clicked her tongue disapprovingly.

"Simon wouldn't be pleased. But we won't listen to him, will we?"

"What're you talking 'bout?" He backed away a few paces suspiciously. She advanced on him, smiling broadly.

"River Cobb."

"What the-gorramit girl, you-"

"Jayne Tam?" She offered. Jayne, recognizing that all his years facing down the roughest elements of society had not prepared him for anything of this nature, turned and fled the room.


	8. Chapter 8

Aria A Cappella

Part 8

**Jayne slung his bag over his shoulder and took one last look at his room.** It was strange that, in such a short time, he could come to regard a room as his. He was a drifter by nature, and had never stayed anywhere long. Besides _Serenity_ of course. But he always knew that he would someday leave _Serenity_. He just hadn't gotten around to it yet. But this room…he was uncomfortable in this finery, he was more out of place in this mansion than most other places…but he regretted leaving. He'd never regretted leaving anywhere after he left home. This room had given him a glimpse of peace that he had never even considered. It was sort of nice.

But it was time to go now. Mal and the crew would be docking in under an hour, and they didn't want to stay on Maat any longer than necessary. Jayne Cobb never was a man for long goodbyes. He took his one last look, and took off down the hallway.

**River's goodbye took considerably longer.** She had started her goodbye, in a manner of speaking, the first moment she had entered the room. She knew that rushing goodbyes only led to tears, and that dragging them out led to the same. Her goodbye lasted just as long as it needed to. No shorter, and no longer. It was in its final stage now. She pressed her lips gently against headboard and nightstand, light butterfly kisses that lasted no more than a moment, but conveyed her emotion perfectly. She kissed her room goodbye, from the floorboards all the way to the ceiling.

She wasn't quite sure where she had picked up the notion that goodbye meant kisses. She was very sure she hadn't kissed anyone when she left the Academy, but she had certainly said goodbye to that place. Perhaps she had gleaned it from a crew member. Probably sugar-sweet Kaylee, who thought everyone occasion was a good occasion for kisses. Possibly Zoë and Wash, but probably not. Their collective idea of goodbye entailed a good deal more than kisses. It wasn't from Inara, who thought goodbye was cutting yourself off. Nor was it from Mal, who felt the same way. It wasn't Simon. Simon hadn't said many goodbyes yet, but his were generally short and uncomfortable, with no affection involved. It certainly wasn't from Jayne. But maybe it was.

In fact, now that she considered it, it was entirely possible she had gotten her goodbye kisses from Jayne. Not his own belief of course, but a leftover from his mother's teachings. Jayne's mother was very important to him. He didn't say a word, but he screamed it into her brain. It got very loud in her brain sometimes. That's why she needed to say her goodbyes. As much as she would like to carry her room inside her head, there just wasn't enough room in there anymore. It was a very busy place, and the room would just add clutter. So she kissed it goodbye.

When she was done, she left. On her way out, she kissed the doorframe for good measure. She entered the hallway and looked around with a deep sigh. Her lips had a long way to go.

**Jayne stood on the edge of the estate.** He half-sat on the skiff Madame was lending them again and shook his head. He adjusted his sunglasses and rubbed his nose while he scanned the main door for signs of activity. He had passed River on his way out. She had been very intent on kissing a pillar. He had not paused to let her notice him. Crazy, crazy, crazy girl. And yet, she was beautiful in her fragile insanity.

He scowled and rather unceremoniously spit on one of the somewhat disturbing topiaries that populated the border of the grounds. Those kind of thoughts led to sentimentality, which, in his line of work, usually led to a bad case of dead. Especially if anyone on _Serenity_ got wind of it. Most especially that gorram doctor, who, by Jayne's reckoning, might be crazier than his sister. At least she was upfront about it. He snuck around, being quietly wrong, until he just burst all over everything. Yes, Simon Tam was just as much of a time bomb as River. Unfortunately, Jayne was the only one who seemed to see it.

He looked up again, squinting against the sun even through the tinted glasses, and saw her emerging. The whole picture seemed like a mirage. A mansion, rising up out of plenty of lush greenery, floating above a windy desert world. And in the center of it all, a stick of a girl whose flowered yellow sundress blew around her, making her look tiny inside her own clothing. If he had been a bit more fashion-conscious he might have noted that the yellow did not go well with her pale skin…it made her look more washed out than ever. But it also added to the effect of the cloth whipping and twisting with her skinny legs. If he had been a more poetically-minded man, he might have thought that she looked like a delicate flower, blown about by an internal and external storm. However, he was neither, and to Jayne, she just looked like a skinny girl in a too-big dress.

She clasped a large, floppy hat to her head, another attempt to go incognito. It didn't do much besides shade her eyes. He probably couldn't have recognized her from this distance if he hadn't known who it was to begin with, but that had more to do with the bright sunlight and the deep shadow of the house covering her. She stood on the cool stone for another moment before stepping carefully into the sun. She walked slowly toward him, appearing oblivious that he was waiting for her. She dragged a suitcase behind her over the pristine grass, but its weight didn't seem to be disrupting her movements at all.

She reached the skiff and looked up at him, tilting her head back so far her hat seemed in danger of slipping off.

"Time to go home." He searched his mind for something to say, but nothing came.

"Yeah."

**Simon had been unable to stand still for the past three hours. **He stood in the cargo bay, shifting his weight constantly, staring out of the open door into the desert sun. Kaylee came up behind him and rested a hand on his shoulder gently. He jumped in surprise, then, after giving her a nervous glance, returned to his waiting.

"C'mon Simon, standing here staring won't make them come no faster."

"_Any_ faster," he corrected absentmindedly, then shot her an apologetic grin. She patted his shoulder again, unsure of what she could do to calm him.

"Well, what do you think ab-"

"I see them!" He leapt in action, hurrying to the edge of the cargo bay so he could peer out. "Yes, they're coming!" He watched wide-eyed for another few seconds, before realizing that he did not want to be in that position when the skiff arrived, as he was blocking the entry to the ship. He backed up out of the opening, just in time. Jayne and River zipped inside, and the skiff set down.

"River!" Simon hurried to over to the side, holding out his arms to her. River tore off her hat, but waited for Jayne to hoist her over the edge, into her brother's arms. The siblings embraced tightly. Jayne coughed uncomfortably, and tossed their bags out of the transport.

"How was the trip?" Kaylee asked, picking up one of the bags. He shrugged and made a noncommittal noise.

"Did you have a good time, River? How do you feel? Are you feverish?" Simon moved to lay a hand across her forehead, but she ducked away, grinning.

"Had a birthday party and learned some very interesting new things to do with my mouth."

"Mleargh?" Simon said, in response to the last one. River nodded solemnly.

"Oh, yes. And did lots and lots of kissing. Just ask Jayne."

"Blergh," was Simon's only available response to that statement. He looked sharply at the man in question who put up his hands in surrender.

"Don't look at me. Your feng le sister was lip-smacking all manner of furniture, had nothing to do with it." Simon looked back to River for affirmation. She smiled sheepishly and shrugged.

"Had to say good-bye. Despite the lack of mathematical sense in that world, I enjoyed it."

"River, dear." River turned and looked up and greeted Inara with a smile. "Did you like Madame Rousseau? Did she give you lessons?" Inara hurried down the stairs, gown rustling at her feet. She embraced River gently, and the girl responded in kind.

"She was sad. But nice." River stepped back and looked around. "I'm glad to be home."

**Jayne sat on his bunk.** He was cataloguing his weaponry. Although he had done a full inventory before he left, and he hadn't used anything since then, it relaxed him to know how much firepower he had. Which was slightly disturbing. He had just reached his knives that were between 7" and 12" long when he got a deeply unpleasant shiver down his spine. He looked up to see River, knees hooked on one of the bars in the ladder down into his room, hanging upside-down and staring at him. He tensed immediately.

"What do you think you're doin'?"

"Without x and y, z can't be found," she said, very matter-of-factly for a girl who was the wrong-side up, "it's a matter of mathematics, and good sportsmanship. Not fair to leave one of the variables in the dark."

"Huh?" River gave him a very intense look.

"I'm not finished with you, Jayne Cobb." She curled upwards and hoisted herself out of his room. Jayne stared at the spot where she had disappeared from, a slow and steady dread building in the pit of his stomach. That look had not been very promising for him. Whatever happened, he feared he would be on the losing end. Then again, depending on the game she wanted to play, losing may not end up being such a bad thing.

**Author's Note: **And, that's the end. Thanks very much for sticking with me through slow and short updates, and sometimes rocky work. I'm sorry for the ambiguous/abrupt ending, but I really had a hard time motivating myself to write this story, and I figured it was best for me to just finish it when I could. So, thanks again for staying with the story, and making it my most "hit" fanfic, and I hope you enjoyed 'Aria A Cappella'.


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